Damien's Batman
by Yemi Hikari
Summary: When Nightwing goes missing on a mission, Damien reminds Bruce of who his partner really is, and seeks out his mentor.


_Disclaimer – I don't own Batman or Young Justice. This was written for the March challenge for the Superhero profile on Wattpad. The challenge was called sidekicked, and one was to write a 1-1.5k story where the sidekick decides whether to save their super who's disappeared, or get help._

 **Damien's Batman**

"I'm not your partner. I'm his."

The words hung in the cave, almost cutting the tension between the current Batman and Robin. Damien's stomach lurched, his green eyes looking towards the ground. Even he knew better than to argue with _the_ Batman. However, …

 _His_ Batman went missing during their last mission, and _the_ Batman refused to look for his former protégée. Damien found himself fed up, his young heart aching for his mentor. Only Grayson took the time to explain things in a manner Damien understood, yet looking back, the newest Robin felt perhaps Grayson understood how he felt better than anyone else. How and why, Damien found himself unable to put into words, yet he knew deep down Grayson got him.

His father did not.

As such, he told the old man off and said he would go looking for Nightwing since Batman would not. The old man snapped, saying Damien would not, and Robin would follow Batman's orders. That's when Damien said those words. "I'm not your partner. I'm his." Under Batman's mask, Damien saw the man's facial features contort, the words obviously stinging. He couldn't help but add, "I'd never want to be partners with someone who'd treat their former partners so coldly, despite them having done no wrong. Have fun with your favorite, Drake."

He turned then, mentally prepared for some action stopping him from leaving, but the old man did nothing. He'd bragged, and bragged about being the real son, and yet the coldness the man showed towards Grayson simply didn't feel right, no matter how Damien tried justifying said actions. Upon leaving the cave, he wondered if the old man thought he'd come scurrying back upon realizing he didn't know where to even begin.

After all, he was trained as an assassin, not a detective. Neither Grayson or his father finished teaching him all the skills he needed, leaving him in somewhat of a lurch, yet he wanted to find his mentor. He wanted to find his older brother, to know Dick Grayson was okay. The newest Robin took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll ask him for help."

He would himself crawling through a window, sitting down on the sill until something crashed against the wall nearby. He let out an irritated sound. "Seriously?"

"What are you doing here, demon spawn?" Jason's voice sounded annoyed.

Damien's mouth opened, instinctively wanting to mouth off. However, somehow, he managed to hold his tongue. "I've come to ask your help Todd, in finding our lost brother."

One eyebrow shot up, his mouth twisting. "Go ask golden boy to help you find replacement."

"Drake is not the brother we need to find."

A curse escaped Jason's mouth, a hand reaching up as he ruffled his hair furiously. "Are you saying golden boy's actually in trouble?"

"He disappeared. Father has forbidden me from looking, but father is being useless."

"Yeah, but both of us are pretty much useless in that particular regard." Jason waved his hand. "Dick's really in trouble?"

"I wouldn't be here if that were not so."

"And you're not really the joking type of person. We need to work on that."

"I don't see why we do."

"So, you can actually blend in, in your civilian identity." Jason stood up, fetching out his phone. "We need to call Drake."

"We do _not_ need Drake's help."

"Dames, we need his help. Neither one of us are tech-savvy."

"Fine."

A few minutes later, Tim arrived at the apartment, but proceeded in setting up his computer. Damien sat in a corner, glaring, waiting for answer so the three could possibly move. Jason left, going, and getting some kind of food for the three. He felt a cold soda pressed against his cheek. "Come on. Eat something. Drink something. That way we're prepared for when we make our move."

"You mean when I make my move."

Tim glanced up from his computer, slightly perplexed. "We're in this together."

"I am not letting either one of you use this as a means to have something to hold over Grayson's head."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Damien felt a slap on the back of his head, making him look up at Jason. "What?"

The man glared at him. "Are you saying you're different? That you wouldn't act like Grayson owes you anything for this?"

"I won't ever hold this over Grayson's head because I am paying a debt to him which can never, ever be repaid. That is something neither of you could possibly understand." Damien watched Tim and Jason look at each other, but one of his eyebrows shot up. "What?"

A moment of silence occurred before Tim spoke. "Actually, we get it. We wouldn't be where we are, if it weren't for Dick."

"You mean there would be no Robin for you to feel the shoes of."

"No." Jason ruffled Damien's hair, despite the threat of having his hand cut off. "Mind you, I'm apt to tease Dickiebird about this when everything is said and done, but that's what brothers do. Tim's saying Dick's also had a profound effect on us. He has that on everyone."

"Mother says it's his flaw." Damien frowned.

Tim continued looking at his screen. "It's both his strength and his flaw, because the idiot will sacrifice everything for everyone else, but never once thinks about his own wellbeing. That's just the way he is."

"Which means it's up to us three, his brother's, to do it for him." Jason's words made Tim's head snap up. "What?"

"I never thought I'd hear you of all people say such a thing."

"You're acting like I can't see what's right in front of his face. It's what irritates me the most about him, that he can't see he's needed."

Damien frowned. "Grayson knows he's needed. He knows I need him."

"And that's why I like you." Jason piped up. "Not that I don't like your attitude mind you."

"I don't understand."

"Jason means you're keeping Dick grounded."

"I'm still not following." Damien sunk down on his seat, glad when Jason and Tim finally put the clues together, allowing the three to move. They moved through the makeshift base the villain set up with stealth, focused on the location most apt for keeping a prisoner. Damien swallowed, his back pressed up against the wall, before motioning that the coast was clear. A sigh of relief escaped his lips upon seeing _his_ mentor, only for the feeling to come rushing back upon realizing Grayson wasn't moving.

"Nightwing?"

The young man's finger twitched, before one eye opened. "Dami? You came?"

Jason walked over, gently lifting Nightwing up. "We all came."

"You guys love me that much?"

"No. I love you that much. I simply needed Drake's tech ability, and I can't very well carry you out myself."

"Dami…" A laugh escaped Nightwing's mouth despite how broken his body was.

"What?"

"You're supposed to be denying that, not admitting it."

Damien's eyes blinked, realizing the slip of the tongue. He meant to say Grayson served an important purpose, and that only Drake and Todd were the sappy ones. Jason let out a laugh. "We came, because we're family. Isn't that enough?"

"Yes. Family." Tim muttered. "I'm not ready to admit…"

"Stop ruining the mood." Dick laughed.

"Dude…" Jason rolled his eyes. "The state you're in is killing the mood."

Of course, they couldn't get out _without_ setting the alarm off, or finding themselves in a fight with those who were holding Nightwing captive. Damien half-expected Batman to come crashing in through the glass window, yet remembered his father didn't go looking for Dick. By the time they arrived at the vehicle they brought, everyone was worse for wear compared to when they found Nightwing, including Nightwing.

Damien watched his mentor teeter in and out of consciousness, hanging close, watching every breath. Tim took a deep breath. "You know, watching him that closely isn't going to make him better."

"I know." Yet, he couldn't move away."

Arriving at the Batcave so Nightwing might receive treatment, Damien expected his father to chew them out for not following directions Batman in fact glared at the boys. Jason walked up, poking Bruce in the chest. "Seriously! You couldn't tell us Dickiebird was missing?"

"Yeah. Damien came and got us."

"I was handling it."

"You weren't looking!" Damien piped up.

"You were being impatient. These things take time."

Meaning Batman _had_ been looking for Nightwing.

"You _still_ did it without help." Jason snapped, before turning to leave. Before heading out, his hand reached down to ruffle Damien's hair. "Take care of golden boy, will you demon spawn?

Damien sighed, still not understanding his strange family beyond the fact he'd do anything for his oldest brother, but had yet to warm up to Tim and Jason. He was getting there, though.


End file.
